Adventures in Southern Seas eBook

When the canoes came within range our brass cannon
accounted for one of them, on board of which I hoped
was the traitor Vale Vulu, but the others came on,
and there is little doubt that by force of numbers
we must have been overpowered had not the breeze,
which we could now see approaching, come in time to
save us. The canoes were all round us, and the
savages had already begun to swarm on to our decks,
when the sails filled and the “Golden Seahorse”
began to gather way. We were now incensed against
the cannibals for their treacherous conduct, and many
fell to the discharge of our muskets. With our
cutlasses we soon drove those who had ventured upon
the ship into the sea, and a second discharge from
our brass cannon disabled one of the largest remaining
canoes, when the others made off. As our ship
bowed to the waves of the ocean we were able once
more to breathe freely, and, taking a last look at
the island, I fancied I saw a dark form hurl itself
from one of the highest cliffs upon the rocks below.
Was it the brave girl, I wondered, who had saved us,
and who had thus escaped torture by destroying herself?

CHAPTER L

AGAIN AT THE MOLUCCAS

Hartog was anxious, before returning home, that we
should call again at the Molucca Islands, and demand
an explanation, together with a ransom of pearls,
from King Thedori, for having treated us so scurvily
on our former visit. We knew that this treacherous
chief depended for the success of his piratical schemes
on taking by surprise those for whom he pretended
friendship, and for that reason we had arranged to
meet the “Speedwell” so that we might,
by strategy, pay Thedori back in his own coin, capture
him, and hold him to ransom.

Now we knew that if Thedori, or any of the people,
caught but a glimpse of the “Golden Seahorse”,
they would make ready to attack her with all the force
at their command, but the “Speedwell” was
unknown to them, and there were many harbours among
the Moluccas where our ship might remain unnoticed
while our plans were matured. The plan we had
formed was a simple one, and was therefore the more
likely to succeed. It was, shortly, as follows.
On reaching the Moluccas we would choose a convenient
harbour as the base of our enterprise, when the “Speedwell”
would set out alone for the island ruled over by Thedori,
where we had no doubt the captain and crew would be
well received, as is the habit of this crafty king
when dealing with strangers, in order that he may
eventually pillage them. Thedori was to be invited
by Captain Smuts to go aboard his vessel to inspect
the cargo of furs and other goods in which he proposed
to trade. Once on board the “Speedwell”,
the King of the Moluccas would be kidnapped, and brought
away to where the “Golden Seahorse” was
at anchor, when Hartog undertook to deal with him.

Captain Smuts, whom we found waiting us at the Moluccas,
was very ready to fall in with this plan when we told
him of the large pearls that were to be found at the
island, some of which we intended to demand as the
King’s ransom for being allowed to return to
his people.